United States

[John Arton]

Not the country but the TransAtlantic liner SS United States, has been sold and is to be towed to a position off the Florida coast, where it be sunk to form a artificial reef. A sorry end for a vessel that held the blue ribbon for the fastest ever trans Atlantic crossing by a merchant vessel. This is despite attempts to restore her and have her as a maritime museum or even as a hotel similar to the queen Mary.
Rgds
J.A.
https://gcaptain.com/end-of-an-era-h...eid=3b737aa316

[James Curry]

Sad, but really was she actually that popular while in service? Did she have the grandeur of the Queens or other majestic ships on the Europe to New York service.
Do not know if this is true but supposedly while she was on her record blue ribbon run she passed one of the Queens, Elizabeth or Mary.
Message from United States Want a tow slow coach? Reply No thank you Royality does not keep fast company.
Anyway I suppose it is better this is her fate than a gas axe in some scrap yard. Also saves stripping out all the asbestos with in her structure.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
Well if she can see the State of the Merchant ships these days she may not mind being turned into a reef, people will be able to remember her for what she was. One of the most poignant sights I saw on TV; was of a ship being sunk off Sydney to be used as a reef for fish.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Sadly the price of converting such a ship would be prohibitive, so just let her go with dignity and remember her for what she was and did.

[corrientes]

What should have happened 25 years ago

[Bryan Portwig]

i have heard that expression before about the " royalty does not keep fast company "the queens against the big u.jpg

[Bryan Portwig]

i have spent the best part of a year now collecting as much info as i can on the big u - a ship i never had any infinity with - sadly after all the fuss about trying to restore or preserve her was in my thinking a maritime hoax - all the 55 years she was in layup and the various people who had plans to do anything with her - all 6 come to nought ! and then the conservancy who had her under their ownership for the last 10 tears pleading for donations - numerous interviews - even writing to the current president and so many nonsensical comments about her being an " american idol " being shouted from their web pages - all with one stroke of a pen - lost for reefing - by no less a personage than ms gibbs herself who said she would do everything in her power to preserve her grandfathers legacy - gone - i had a book in my collection once - and the author noted she was a " cold " clinical ship to sail on - lacking the warmth of the cunards or other shipping companies - it is sad that she is to be lost to maritime folklore - but it comes none to soon for me as she will go down with the legacy of the saddest saga of a oceanliner that refuse to die - rusted abandoned and an empty shell - within a year she will no longer grab anyone's attention for the simple reason of ' OUTTA SIGHT - OUTTlost reef.jpgA MIND